A Blot On the Map: As Recorded By Wutai Caravaners
by Emerald-Velvet-Touch
Summary: The story of an unlikely band of caravaners, and their take on the events of FFCC. Though they didn't appear in the record books, their story is one of hilarity and legend.
1. The Chosen Wutai Landers

Aloisia de Tuirne waved goodbye to her family with a smile firmly planted on her face. She was surprised to chosen this for the caravan this young, but had no qualms to speak of. Really, she mused, the only one who minded was her father. He minded a lot of things: namely Xander, though she could never quite understand why he hated the boy so. Trivial matters aside, she was off new quest, and she was going to make the most of it: whether all she heard of her Selkie companion was true or not.

_Tira stood leaning against the caravan. It was hot today, and Selkies were never very fond of heat. The headache from the heat was only intensified as the words of her father still rang clear in her head._

'_Remember to bring back lots of money and fish!'_

_Tira shook her head. You'd think all the man cared about was the welfare of his own money purse._

Aloisia's mood was not deterred any as she saw the Selkie in question. Firm in her belief that no one could be as bad as they seemed (abundant rumors ro not), she confidently strode right up to her and held out her hand.

"HI!" She seemed to smile even more brightly. "My name's Aloisia de Tuirne! And you've gotta be Tira, right right?" She nodded again and waited patiently for the Selkie to respond.

_Tira looked up from the gravel path al the way-too-cheerful-for-this-early-in-the-morning Clavat. "Yes that would be me. Charmed I'm sure." She said slowly before reaching out to shake the other girl's hand._

The blonde Clavat shook the offered hand vigorously, and nodded once more. "I'm really super pleased to meet you, too!" Letting go, she quieted her hands by placing them behind her back. "I hope Xander isn't too late. He should be coming with your friend you see, and I'm anxious to give him a warm welcome, too!" Her words were like rapid fire and had an inexhaustible spirit behind them.

_She cracked her knuckles trying to get her fingers back into alignment after the energetic handshake. "I'm sure Kail will be just as pleased to meet you as I am." She tried to smile but it ended in somewhere between a smirk and a grimace._

"Oh, good!" With a skip in step she greeted the reluctant looking camel-cow that was already set up to pull the caravan's wagon. "How are you Mr. Camel-Cow?" She asked petting him, "Oh, thank you for asking, I'm very well, too."

_Tira glanced over at the Clavat for a moment questioning the young girl's sanity before returning to her inquiry of the incredibly interesting gravel path. It was at that tense moment that up the road a ways appeared Kail and Xander walking towards the caravan._

Aloisia had spotted them, as well. Though she entertained a different approach to the Selkie's when doing so. Without any second thoughts she ran right up to the disheveled Clavat with brown hair and launched herself onto him in a death hug.

"XANDER!"

**The male Clavat winced as he fought for air. "…Aloi…sia…" He felt himself go red in the face, "…Aloi….air!" He spat the last word with as much force as much as he could. **

"_Don't kill the boy before we even leave town, Aloisia. It wouldn't even fill a page of this huge journal the Elder gave us." She jeered waving a very thick, black, leather bound book._

Aloisia seemed to reluctantly let go. "I was just so happy to see Xander," She paused and seemed to think hard for a moment, "Oh! And you too, Mr. Kail!" She turned to him and held out her hand in a similar fashion to the way she greeted Tira. "My name's Aloi-"

"**He knows who you are…everyone does…" Xander loosened his collar a bit as if he still had a lack of air. "It'd be impossible not to, I suppose." He said thinking of how she said good morning to people she _did_ know. **

"Pleasure to meet you Aloisia" He reluctantly moved his arms from defending himself incase he got one of Aloisia's 'good morning hugs' to shake her hand.

"You too, you too." She chimed. After another fierce handshake, she moved to her semi-permanent spot at Xander's side.

"_What's with the hat, dufus." Tira seemed to ask randomly. She motioned her head towards the bandana tied around Kail's head._

"You don't like it?" He asked sarcastically. "And here you were just last week saying I should 'do something with that mass of spikes' and now your insulting my choice. Honestly woman, make up your mind!"

"**I _honestly_ believe that there's no hair powder in the world that tame…" Xander pointed to the silver mass in question, "_that."_ Looking smug some he nodded at Tira, "So I think it suits him just as well, if better than nothing."**

"I agree with Xander!" Aloisia put in with a raised hand.

**Xander smirked some at Tira, "See that?"**

_Tira smirked evilly back. "She'd agree with you even if you told her the sky was purple and that Camel-Cows could speak fluent Selkie."_

"But Tira…the sky can be purple when the sun sets, and and…" Her face took on an uncharacteristic seriousness, "Camel-Cow's can understand Selkie." She nodded gravely and added, "It hurts their poor feelings when you say they don't, you know."

At this moment Tira broke out into laughter doubling over, clutching her sides. Kail seemed to sigh, "If I could get a word in here I really think this is frivolous. It's my hat, learn to deal with it."

"But it's not about the hat!" Aloisia pressed with a small whine in her voice. "It's about a _certain someone's feeling's _being hurt."

**Xander sighed at the girl next to him, and gently patted her shoulder in pity. "It's ok Aloisia; really, I think that the Camel-Cow probably forgave her, okay?" Appeasement was the only thing on the brown haired Clavat's mind at this point.**

_Tira finally recovered enough from her laughter to stand back upright. Her hands returned to their usual spot on her hips and she coughed regaining normal speech. "Very well." She turned to face the Camel-Cow, a big cheesy apologetic grin on her face. "Oh please great Camel-Cow, forgive me for my transgressions against you!" With the last of her words she collapsed to the ground bowing to a very confused looking Camel-Cow._

Aloisia seemed to glow, "Oh, Tira! Thank you, thank you so very much!" She walked slowly over to the bowing Selkie and lifted her up, "Today," She smiled again at her, "You have made in the first step on better Camel-Cow relationships with their caravaners." She hugged Tira tight, "WE THANK YOU!"

Kail suppressed the almost overpowering urge to burst into laughter. "Bravo Tira! You will bring a tear to the eye of every Selkie for generations!"

"_Shut up." Was her only response she gave the other Selkie. After being let go from the death-grip hug, she dusted off her clothes._

"**Can we _please_ set off now?" Xander said exasperated with the situation. Midday already and here they were not on the road but talking of hats and Camel-Cow rights. What he would have given to run into a random goblin and give it a piece of his mind.**

"_A brilliant idea. If it had had more to do with Gil I would have said I'd thought of it myself!" She laughed at her own stereotypical joke before jumping onto the front of the caravan._

"I call shotgun!" Kail called childishly running forward and jumping up into the caravan next to Tira.

More than happy to join in, Aloisia grabbed Xander's arm and said, "And we call the inside!"

"**Hey, Selkie, are you listening?" Xander said being dragged into the mouth of the wagon, "Do not _ever_ give her any ideas again…I call this and I call that, is not a game you play when I'm right next to her." He shook his head as he sat down with Aloisia right next to him, far enough for modesty's sake, but close enough for him to be uncomfortable, of course. **

"Oh, Xander! You know I love games!" She clapped, "You're so thoughtful."

"Sorry, mate! I'll try to remember that for next time." He laughed. Tira laughed too before starting the caravan, finally, out of town onto the path.


	2. The First Encounter: Sol Racht

"Hail caravaners!" A voice boomed from the road ahead. The clinking of metal could be heard as well as the chatter of the Liltie language.

Aloisia poked her head in between Kail and Tira to look out ahead, "Hey Tira, who was that?"

"_Probably just nothing." She said staring at the side of the road. To her surprise, standing there was a caravan of Lilties saluting them with their lances, standing at attention. There was a chatter of greetings from the other caravan, half in Liltie half in common tongue._

"I know this is ironic, but that's a rather large 'nothing'."

**There was a muffled groan from inside the wagon. "Aloisia…no noise; trying to sleep." **

"Hail Caravaners!" The apparent leader repeated. "I am Sol Racht and behind me stand my noble followers. We are the caravan from the glittering city of Alfitaria! I offer greetings from our city and good luck on your quest!"

Aloisia was overjoyed. She promptly stepped over Xander, who groaned in pain, jumped out the back of the wagon, and ran to stand in front of Sol Racht and offer her hand in greeting. "THANK YOU!"

"_No, don't take it!" Tira warned but it was too late. Sol Racht had extended his hand to shake the Clavat's and was now being shaken up and down due to his rather short stature._

**Xander slumped himself over the back end of the wagon, "Please tell me she didn't kill him…"**

"Chill, he looks fine." Kail answered only half in truth. The Liltie was now trying to right himself after having his armor nearly ripped off.

"I see you have eer…great enthusiasm for your charge. But, no matter! Head my words caravaners! The other day we ran into a fearsome Flan! We nearly lost our lives to the cursed beast. Tread carefully young caravaners, the fate of your village depends on your survival from this deadly demon!"

Aloisia looked stunned. In fact, she looked downright frozen to her spot in front of Sol Racht. "Oh survival…right." She ran a hand through her hair nervously, "I knew that!"

"_A flan?" Tira asked confusedly. "You don't mean those little yellow things that look like rotten custard?"_

"Indeed! Those would be the same creatures that we ran into. Do not underestimate their simple appearance! They are a dangerous foe to be reckoned with!" The Liltie shook his lance for emphasis which spurred his followers to do the same while chattering again in Liltie.

**Xander stumbled, well more like fell, out of the wagon. He dragged himself over to try and stand next to Aloisia. "Please, I'm begging you. Do you know how much I'm going to have to talk to her now that you've scared her!" Xander's hands flew everywhere, "I mean, please! Just look at her now! She's speechless! Aloisia de Tuirne: SPEECHLESS!" **

"Take a chill pill Xander! Now you're the one scaring people." Kail pointed to the poor Liltie who seemed to have had the wind viciously knocked out of him.

"My humblest apologies." Sol Racht uttered softly.

"_Well we thank you for your kind advice, good sir. If you don't mind, we will depart to continue our journey." Tira said with a hint of actual kindness in her voice. She really did feel sorry for the poor man._

"But of course…"

**Xander nodded, "Yep…come on, Aloisia." He moved her back towards the caravan by the shoulder. They disappeared into the wagon.**

Aloisia seemed to have finally remembered herself, "Oh! BYE BYE!" Though the wagon tried to muffle the call, there was still an audible wince from the Lilties.

"Farewell caravaners….May you have a safe and…quiet journey."

"_Not possible."_


	3. Make Camp! Fears, Plights, and Bets

It occurs to me that I did not include any intro or disclaimer in the first two chapters. Thus, the characters in this story are the property of EmeraldVelvetTouch and my associate TokyoKitty. Aloisia is the normal font, while Tira is italic, Kail is underlined, and Xander is bold.

We do not own FFCC, we are but simple students obsessed with video gaming and bishonen. Thank you.

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Sometime later when the caravan had stopped to make camp, Aloisia could be heard sniffling beneath her quilt. And in what could be considered _very_ strange, she had not yet spoken up to talk about it.

**This, of course, bugged Xander to no end. It was one thing to have her chattering at him all the time, but when she didn't speak at all he felt worse, if that was possible. He sat there readjusting his hat and poking at the fire more than necessary. It was almost impossible to pretend it didn't bug him: but that didn't mean he couldn't try. **

"Dude, just go talk to the girl already. If you don't stop poking that fire you're going to put it out….Then again it could always blow up in your face."

"_In that case keep doing it! We could use some entertainment." Tira added jokingly._

**Xander grumbled at them, but didn't say anything. He tossed the stick he was poking the fire with at Tira, and grumbled again. "I can't do it: no way." His poor hat looked near ready to tear in his hands as he twisted it tighter. **

_She caught the stick and gave Xander a very malicious smile. "Fine then. Let the girl sit there and cry herself to sleep. It's not my problem when she wakes up from nightmares screaming." She spat throwing the stick behind her into the forest._

"**I wasn't planning on letting her have nightmares!" Xander hissed at her through his teeth. Just as quickly his energy seemed to deflate, and he asked rather stupidly, "But, what do I say?"**

"Don't look at me." Kail answered for Tira. "She seems to not mind what you say as long as you say _something_."

**Xander nodded at the simple truth he found so annoying most of time. "Fine…alright." The grumpy Clavat took a deep breath, and pushed his wrinkled hat back on his head. Before he left, he looked sharply at Tira and said, "You know, if I fail, you're next." He made a hasty exit over to Aloisia after saying so.**

_Tira cracked her knuckles and smiled darkly. "I'll be waiting."_

**Xander glanced behind his shoulder at the Selkie's threat, but it didn't worry him as much as what he was about to try and do. Desperately wishing it was a demon squirrel he had to fight instead of trying to console a girl, he sat down beside her silent form. "Hey…Aloisia…I…"**

"OH XANDER I'M SO AFRAID!" The once still girl flung herself at the more-than-surprised Clavat and began to cry loudly.

**Xander was thoroughly petrified. He searched blindly for some form of a word or two, but could find none. He swallowed and patted her head with a stiff hand. **

"IS THE FLAN GONNA KILL US, XANDER?" She wailed at him, "I DON'T EVEN LIKE CUSTARD!"

**With his ears ringing like church bells Xander managed to stutter, "Don't worry…reall-y-y, its okay." He licked his lips, knowing he had to come up with something better or his shirt would be soaked, "L-look…Aloisia, I'll, if we run into a flan I'll fight it for you. I'll protect you, ok?" He was mildly surprised at how easily he had said that. **

The blonde hiccupped into his shirt, "Really?"

**He nodded firmly down at her, "Yeah, Aloisia, really."**

"Okay. I'd like that." Her face held a watery smile, and she relaxed her hug on him, but didn't let go.

_Back over at the fire, Tira and Kail were watching with twin smiles on their faces. "20 Gil says we pull back and let him fight the next flan by him self and he wins." Tira put in first. _

"Fine, 20 Gil says he loses."

"_Deal."_


End file.
